Shot sizes are used for many reasons when Ada and Baines set sail for Nelson (at 1:43:50). This scene starts with a close up shot on a Maori woman's face as she sings a waiata, then the camera gradually zooms out to show the men pushing the waka out to the sea. This scene appears calm to the viewers as Campion has used a soft sunset as the sky and the dark, grey tones seen in many scenes throughout the film has been continued in this scene but light greys have been used to make the scene look aesthetically pleasing to the audience rather than harsh and scary. When the woman is singing the waiata and the waka is being pushed out to sea, the camera movement of tracking is used, to make the movement of the waka out to the sea flow with the scene. The Maori woman is singing a melancholy waiata, showing that the characters are leaving their home and travelling to a new place. By using a tracking shot that zooms out, it shows the vastness of the world ahead of her and how they are heading into an unknown place. However, it isn't presented in a dramatic way as a result of the soft tones of the sunset in the sky. The sunset is emphasized when a close up shot is used with a tracking shot of the waves moving and the soft pink and cream is reflected in the water. In the wide shot of the waka moving along in the water, a bird is shown flying in the sky which symbolises freedom which links to Ada leaving Alisdair and being free from the abuse that came from Alisdair. She is starting a new life with the person she loves and she is able to make her own decisions now, not be controlled by society and her parents.
Close up shots are often used in the film as well, to create an effect for the audience and with a meaning. This is shown in the close up shot at 1:43:54 of the rope being thrown in to the waka, foreshadowing that there is more to come involving the rope which is Ada's attempted suicide. Another close up shot is used for foreshadowing when Ada is looking into the water as her piano is about to be thrown overboard (at 1:46:22) and she is thinking about her suicide and the camera shot moves to show the waka itself and it appears very cramped with the Maori people paddling, the large piano and the tightness of the space. This represents how Ada is feeling about this situation which is suffocated and uncomfortable. This comes from the feeling of being on the waka as well as her life where she is forced into everything because of her parents. She is made to travel to a foreign country and marry a man she doesn't love because of her parents. By using a close up shot of Ada's face, it helps the audience to see the characters face and read her emotions. This makes the scene more dramatic to the audience as you can sense the drama on Ada's face of the big decision she's about to make.
The film uses editing paces effectively, making the film feel more real. This is done through long and slow lingering paces causing the audience to think about the situation that's occurring. By creating long pauses between the characters conversation, it makes the scene more awkward but it makes it more real as it gives the characters time to think about what they're going to say - just like what happens in real life where conversation doesn't flow and we don't know how to respond in certain situations. It makes the film more authentic and the audience is brought into the world of the film. By making the film more genuine, it means people in the audience are able to relate to the film more and it intensifies the emotions of the viewer. The slow editing pace in the film feels unfamiliar to the audience as most films are fast paced and it makes the film seem uncomfortable, much like how Ada is feeling. She is placed in situations that she doesn't want to be in such as moving to a new country and marrying a stranger. The slow and awkward editing pace is shown in the scene where the piano is thrown into the water and as the rope follows it down, Ada chooses to put her foot in the rope and gets dragged down underwater. As she's sinking underwater, a slow editing pace is used, reflecting Ada's thoughts as she is sinking. I imagine Ada would be thinking about her life and if its worth living. By using a slow pace, it makes the scene more dramatic to the audience. When Ada decides she does want to live, the editing pace gets faster as she fights her way to the surface, increasing the intensity of the scene and reflecting how Ada is feeling - anxious, nervous and desperate to reach the surface. When Ada reaches the surface and the people help her up, the editing pace slows down to make the audience think about the situation and listen to what Ada is saying. Editing paces adds drama and makes the film seem more realistic.
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